Bummed to see all the low reviews, but understand each experience is unique. With that said, based off of my experience, I would recommend giving El Agavero a try. First of all the restaurant is in a super quaint location in the Montclair Village, plenty of parking during the weekday (can't speak for the weekend). The restaurant itself is very nicely decorated with a full bar, but I ordered to go. I got the Cabrones à la Diabla, which are so delicious outside of being a little poorly cleaned and a tiny bit greasy. The flavor is still very much on point. The rice and refried beans are also delicious, and the corn tortillas are made in house (I got flour). Everything was packed with thoughtfulness and care. The service was very fast and the waitress who took my order was extremely friendly and welcoming. I see a lot of reviews talking about the higher prices, but please consider the area that this restaurant is in (expensive) so overhead and the quality of the food, which cost more if it costs the restaurant more lol. So that translates to the price of the food. If you want cheaper food, maybe go to a cheaper restaurant? Or maybe don't ding a restaurant for their prices - bc those are clearly displayed on the menu and we make a choice to pay. What we don't choose, and review here, is the experience. Overall, I'd def return for a dine in or takeout experience. read more

See all

The food here is just really solid! I judge Mexican restaurants off their rice and beans and here it is exactly what it needs to be. Rice was moist and the refried beans would go well with anything. Also ordered a cheese quesadilla and a pork tamal. Eating it feels like a warm hug. Feels homemade and was super flavorful. Prices are a bit higher but often times you get what you pay for. Here it is worth the extra cost. Service is fast casual but Eli took great care of me. read more

El Agavero - Tamal Pork - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

This was my first time eating here. I came with a friend for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. We had margaritas, she had the street tacos and I had a combo plate with refried beans and rice a "crispy" chicken taco and a chicken sope. The crispy chicken taco came in a shell that was from a box, not fried in their kitchen. That was a disappointment for me. I don't like cold, boxed taco shells, especially when eating in a restaurant. I also ordered a shredded chicken burrito to go. The margaritas were good. I'd return here, but I will avoid their "crispy" tacos. read more

See all

Absolutely the most mediocre Mexican food in the Bay Area. Tasteless, soggy. This is the kind of meal one would get in a high school cafeteria, not a restaurant. Anyone who has given this restaurant more than one star must be being compensated by the establishment. I am surprised the restaurant is even in business. Save your money, go elsewhere. Anywhere. The most flavorless, soggiest "crispy" tacos ever, the least flavorful beef soft tacos, and the "chile verde" enchilada are mostly flavorless and soggy. The Queso fundido is simply a plastic container of day old flavorless cheese. read more

Pretty good mole enchiladas. Can choose meats which is a plus. Very tasty dark mole sauce. Very filling dinner. Will go back for sure! read more

El Agavero - 23. Mole Enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Still one of my all time favorite places to eat and meet friends. Consistently good and fresh. Service is always great. Parking can be hard to find but worth driving in circles at peak times. read more

El Agavero - Peach margarita - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

my wife's vegetarian burrito had a chunk of meat in it. that's really gross and upsetting and forever breaks trust. their rice is also made with chicken stock, and it's not cool they serve that on the vegetarian menu. they have some of the best salsa i've ever had. thanks for the food over the years, but you've lost two customers :( read more

Great food, great service and the margaritas are the best! I recommend the Top Shelf.

Very disappointed. My best friend invited me to his favorite spot yesterday. Ambiance was great, service was slow. Ordered our food, took a few bites then I had this wire in my mouth. I pulled it out my friend noticed my change afterwards I didn't want to ruin his food. Looked like they used some type of wire to remove the skin on the peppers since I ordered the chile relleno. You can see it in the picture. I didn't notice it when I got the plate. Unfortunately this ruined my appetite and I couldn't continue eating the dish. I just acted like I was full after a few bites. Sad but come on people when ur serving the dish you don't notice. read more

See all

This is my second time here but my first review they have wonderful lunch. Menu is great for lunch. They have a nice bar and it's always pretty fast. The service is great. The food is good you have some seeing out in front also . read more

See all

I hate to leave this review but we really had the worst experience here tonight. First of all, we come here about once every 5 years and each time we do we're reminded why we don't like to come back. The service is generally not great and prices are a bit high for food quality. But we like supporting local businesses. We had barely sat down before the waitstaff asked us two times what we wanted to drink. We hadn't even had a minute to look at the drink menu! Then we ordered some pretty basic stuff, burritos, enchiladas and a tostada. When the food came the order was way off. First my husband ordered a verde enchilada but received molé. When he told the waiter this, the waiter said no you didn't! And refused to take it back. LOL! So my husband was like uh... ok I'll just try it. Then my son took a bite of his burrito only to find it was way off (there was cheese even though he's lactose intolerant and we asked for no cheese. There was also no guacamole which we added) we flagged down the waiter and explained the situation to him and he started arguing with us! He told us that we were wrong and we didn't say no cheese bc they always put cheese in the burritos. FINALLY after a bunch of back and forth he took back my son's burrito and husband's enchilada. Then my other son bit into his burrito only to find it was missing cheese and beans. But we just couldn't argue anymore. He just didn't eat it. It actually completely fell apart anyways. After that the kids started eating their burritos but they were rolled so poorly that they literally just fell apart on to the plate. How do you have a Mexican restaurant but can't roll the burritos. That's wild! So anyways this was all so absurd we were just trying to get out of there. The kids literally asked if we could not come back here. That's when we got our check which was $124! I literally gasped! No idea how two kids burritos, one regular burrito and enchilada plate and a tostada could cost that much. I have him my card and signed. Until my husband looked at the bill only to find out they charged us twice for the enchiladas! I waited tables for many years and ALWAYS tip. It's hard work and you're dealing with a lot. This is the first time ever in my life that I didn't leave a tip. It was really that bad. I just can't believe that the waiter argued with us, though. lol and nothing comped! Bummer. We'll go to the taqueria next door or any of the other options all around before we head back there. read more

El Agavero - My son's "burrito". Completely fell apart on to the plate. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

El Agavero is a Mexican restaurant and tequilla bar in Oakland's Montlcair neighborhood, it has been there for decades, I'm assuming under the same ownership the whole time. I've always gotten their super burrito's which are not just large but they're tasty too, I usually order them with al pastor (grilled spicy pork). As of last week the Super Burrito's were $20, but the price matched up with the massiveness of the burrito. I had it for lunch, packed up the leftovers and had that for most of my dinner. They have indoor and outdoor seating. I will say, I've seen Mexican folks eat there, one of the ways to tell whether an ethnic restaurant is good/tasty/authentic. I haven't tried their tequilla or cocktails. read more

El Agavero - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I asked to not add red sauce because I'm allergic to it, but they still added it. I even called the store to let them know before placing the order and they told me they wouldn't add it. I even wrote it in the instructions. Horrible!!!!!! read more

El Agavero - Chile Relleno - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

They charged my card twice and when I call to ask them to reverse the second charge, they said "the manager is not here today." I ask when the manager will be there, and they say "we're not sure, the manager is not here today." I call every day, but the manager seems to never be in. I replaced the credit card and chalked it up to buy beware, but if you go, pay in cash. read more

Fabulous service & food! This has become my go to place several nights after work for me read more

Since moving from the central valley (decades ago now, yeesh), I've been missing good homestyle Mexican sit down cuisine. El Agavero can fill that void for me up in the hills. They started putting down the chips and salsa before I even sat down! The service here was so good that even when the tables all filled up at dinner, someone came by every few minutes to make sure we were okay. The two item enchilada and chile relleno dinner plate was enough for three meals, so while the cost is high, the value is appropriate. I favor non-breaded, roasted poblano-only rellenos, but everything was still fresh and delicious. Their homemade salsa was perfect. The jamaica (hibiscus) margarita was also a highlight, and I look forward to trying more of their many delicious-looking margaritas in the months to come. read more

El Agavero - Two item veggie dinner plate (enchilada y relleno) - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Slow Does not split your check for two parties (keep that in mind) Staff gets overwhelmed easily (whoever is managing needs to be more considerate of their staff training and ensure they have the proper structure and systems to be efficient) Food portions are big & food is good, but it's not a place I will be returning to considering my own personal experience. read more

I've been here twice and it's a great Mexican restaurant. What's very nice there is free seating so you can sit wherever you want. I always get soft tacos and they are so delicious. The drinks are also very unique and strong which makes it fun. The servers are very nice and welcoming. The only small downside is that the restaurant is pretty small, which can actually be a good thing so that it won't be overcrowded there. read more

El Agavero - Carne asada and shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I had a really disappointing experience at this restaurant and felt compelled to share it. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt unwelcoming, but what stood out the most was the behavior of the staff. Several employees came across as dismissive and rude, which already set a negative tone for the visit. What made things even worse was a male staff member whose conduct made me extremely uncomfortable. At one point, I overheard him having an inappropriate and unprofessional conversation with other staff members, which is completely unacceptable in a customer-facing environment. It created an awkward and uneasy atmosphere that made it hard to enjoy my time there. I expect a basic level of respect and professionalism when dining out, and unfortunately, this place failed to deliver on both. I would've said I'd hope management takes this feedback seriously but i don't know what's worse management or the workers. They all need to improve both customer service and behavior. On top of that, the food itself did not live up to the prices at all. Everything was overpriced for what I would honestly describe as very average, underwhelming food. I don't mind paying more for a great meal, but this definitely wasn't it. To make matters worse, they even got my order wrong, but I didn't say anything at the time because of how rude and unapproachable the staff had already been, which made me feel uncomfortable speaking up. Between the rude staff, uncomfortable environment, overpriced and mediocre food, and the incorrect order, this experience fell far below expectations. I would've gave it 0 stars if i could !!!! read more

This is solid Mexican food! I've been many many times and only twice have they disappointed. That's pretty darn good in my book. Their street tacos, whole fish and chimichanga are yum! Spicy salsa, fresh chips and yeah, kinda average service. Since they've raised their prices it'd be nice if they raised their level of service, but hey, it's still solid food. Very solid tequila selection. read more

Came here a few times for lunch.. I usually make a phone order and pickup to go.. Mondays special for the burrito with a soft drink .. can't go wrong.. I didn't realize until my coworker told me they have another location in Oakland . I would have never thought Guadalajara by Fruitvale bart station.. this location is nice and spacious. Can be busy during lunch hour.. they have a few tables outside to eat So far I've had the steak and chicken burrito and the chicken salad. The salad was good and was big enough I had it for lunch and dinner..my only complaint was this dressing they could have a better vinaigrette.. read more

El Agavero - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been going to El Agavero since high school and it's still the best Mexican restaurant in the Bay Area. The food has always been amazing and my favorite is the large portions of everything. A burrito is my go to as always. But, it's not just any burrito...I want one a ginormous one that reminds me of the size of a one month old infant. lol. And this place always delivers with large sides of guacamole, sour cream, and pickled veggies. The flavor is always delicious and leaving you with wanting more. They also have a great selection of margaritas and alcoholic beverages. Anyone that I've brought to El Agavero through the years has always loved it. The staff are friendly and welcoming. There's ample seating indoors and some for outdoors. I'm just dreaming of my next burrito visit as I type this out. There's plenty of street parking usually. read more

El Agavero was a pleasant surprise for us. They offer a typical selection of Mexican food, burgers, and a few Mexican house specialties. I enjoyed the pollo a la crema which was strips of grilled chicken, tomatoes, onions and peppers all cooked up in a creamy chipotle sauce, served with tortillas and a side of rice and beans. The food quantity was enormous and we got chips and salsa as soon as we sat down. What really shines is their bar selection with a variety of specialty cocktails. If you sit at the bar they don't have the cocktail menu out so you'll need to ask for that or the friendly bartender will set you up well. There are TVs so you can watch sports while you're there. Good family-friendly atmosphere with lots of tables in the dining room. read more

The food was not good at all, the meat was very dry and salty I won't be back and I wouldn't recommend this restaurant

This is a solid Mexican restaurant in the Montclair neighborhood. I came here Sunday afternoon for lunch. The menu is quite extensive for a Mexican restaurant. The vibe and wide open atmosphere is nice. We ordered a couple items: Super Famoso Burrito $19.99 : this is a large burrito with enchilada sauce spread across the top. It was a solid meal. Combination Fajitas $30 : good portion of chicken, shrimp, and steak along with rice, beans, and tortillas. They skimped on the tortillas but I would think if we asked for more they would offer them. The service was a little neglectful but if I got up and chased them down they were happy to help. Overall I thought the food was good but it came at premium prices. For our two entrees and two diet cokes, it came out to $63 without adding the tip yet. So above $70 something for lunch. But still a nice Mexican spot to eat at. read more

See all

Scale 1-10 ( 10 highest) Food : super burrito carne Asada - "6" Didn't have much flavor/seasoning I didn't realize that no pico de gallo Next time , I will be sure to ask and try their Formosa super burrito. Chips and salsa: "10". Warm chips and both red and verde salsa perfect Service: 10 waiter checked on us periodically read more

El Agavero - Carne Asada Super Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Really good chicken tortilla soup. Has lots of vegetables in it too - potato, carrot, zucchini, green beans, onions. Also comes with a side plate of rice, avocado, jalapeños, and diced onions. The small was a decent sized bowl, plenty for lunch. read more

Service was very attentive and the house margaritas good. Food, while good, seemed less tasty than usual. Maybe just a off night

My boyfriend has been coming here ever since he was a kid! So I was excited to try this place for a week day lunch meeting. Portions are great, lots of table seating, as well as a few tables outside. The service at this restaurant was quick and the location has fun Halloween decor for the holiday. We ordered the plate with two chimichangas, portions are perfect sharing size. Wings were tasty and tangy. read more

See all

No blended margaritas? Epic fail. Why did you stop making them? We've come here for years and now this? Totally disappointed!

Delicious Mexican food. Highly recommended. Order at counter, they bring it to your table. A slight step up from the average casual taqueria, but not fancy either. Big servings, friendly service. The super burrito I ordered was nearly the size of a child's leg. I had to resort to knife and fork, instead of hoisting it to my mouth like a proper burrito should be eaten. In addition, hand-feeding with a food log this big, you would need to unhinge your jaw like a boa constrictor consuming an unfortunate fawn. It's debatable whether a meal you have trouble picking up and eating by hand, could be defined as a a burrito. I'll leave that debate up to philosophers. But it was fantastic al pastor, and I couldn't stop scarfing it down. I consumed more calories in one sitting than some families on Thanksgiving . It was a mix between shame and bliss. I'll be back after the next bike ride in the hills, and after a two day fast to make up for what I know will happen. read more

El Agavero - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Our family loves El Agavero. Indoor dining has a nice atmosphere and TVs if you want to keep up on a sports game, but they also have outside seating which is enjoyable as well. The servers are friendly. And the food is delicious. My favorite is the fish taquitos--best fish tacos I have ever had. I also enjoy their margaritas. Free chips/salsa is a nice touch. It's also good for kids given the low-key environment. read more

Sham on you Maria, I have visited your restaurant many occasions where salsa for your chips is very hot to me. And I asked for the enchilada sauce as it was suggested to me, and mild. But today you decided you wanted to charge me but you won't charge for the regular salsa does not make sense to me so therefore you've lost my business Maria. I found you to be rude and inconsiderate when it comes to your customers have you made it so much drama when it was so easy. I went just down the street to Taqueria Las Comadres. The service for food was it amazing, I highly recommend to everyone to go there and get treated with compassion and a smile. The food is scratched the people and staff are nice and the food is beyond and they don't charge for their salsa or extra enchilada sauce so Maria you've lost my business good luck. read more

This review is for their lunch service. Overall: 3 stars for getting lots of food for your money and very clean restroom facilities. Staff - They were very kind but service was slow despite there not being a lot of people in the restaurant on the Satuday afternoon we dined. At one point, I had to go over to the bar and get the items I had previously asked for and not yet received. Since I have never been there before, I could not determine if this was an exception, rather than the norm. It seems like a popular place. Food - That was my biggest complaint. I do want to stress that servings are plentiful. I ordered the Chile Relleno lunch special and it was not good. I couldn't identify the coating (and it was hard to cut through to get to the chile and cheese.) And once you did get to it, there was very little chile or cheese. In fact, very sparse. The rice was OK. The pinto beans needed just a bit more cooking. There was a pickled carrot on the side, which was hard to chew and overly-pickled. But the biggest transgression was how salty the food was. I was only able to eat a little for fear my blood pressure would skyrocket because of the high salt content. I mentioned it to the waitress when she asked if I wanted a take-out container. Of course, my answer was NO ! My mom had the tamale lunch and she said it was good. She has dementia so I wouldn't hold a lot of weight to her comment. Food was piled high on the plate and I could not see any tamale. Perhaps the biggest bone of contention I had with this restaurant was how thin and cheap the silverware was. It was laborious trying to cut, eat the heavy food with such small utensils. Think "dollar store" type dining ware. Consider bringing your own (smile) if you want sturdy, larger utensils. I would if I were to return (but not likely- return that is). Despite this review, it appears to be a popular place. Perhaps, I am missing something. Perhaps, it is because the restaurant is one of two in the area and just convenient. Actually, the second one, I prefer better. But its menu and seating is limited. Drinks: I only got water but the BAR MENU had its own book of drinks of everything imaginable. I wondered about the quality of the drinks given the food. But it is not fair to critique something I did not order or taste. Tortilla Chips: THEY WERE VERY GOOD AND SERVED WARM. Finally, I wasn't a fan of the food quality and would not return. Worth repeating: The staff was very lovely and friendly. read more

Raul, waiter was a SCAM artist. Party of 4 with a not so good service where we had to raise our hands to get attention at-least 4 times on a slow night. Had to raise our hand 4 times just to get attention to order and refill our chips. Final check came in with added 45% Gratuity for a party of 4. Luckily we caught it and confronted Raul and ofcourse he denied and it's a system error. System don't automatically add 45% gratuity. He wanted the check back but we kept it as a proof. Asked for the manager and Bartender pretending to be a manager thought it was very minor and made us feel it happens in the establishment a lot. I know times are tough, provide a good service and you will get your tips don't CHEAT customers. Please double check what you pay specially at this establishment! read more

El Agavero - SCAM - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

First they have one of the best tequila selections I have seen almost anywhere. Off hand I really can't think of a location with more. They also have that other stuff like bourbon, scotch, vodka etc. So it's one thing to have the spirits on hand but its more important what they do with them.  The drinks here are the best.  The bartenders totally know what they are doing and it's not a one size fits all like Sutter Medical with your medical care. Sorry I digress. You can ask for any variation you want and they are good with it. Also beer selection looks and they have wine.  More on the wine later. The food is great we have split burritos and shrimp fajitas. The menu is extensive we will try more. We are here typically once a week. The staff is awesome. I'm  not sure but it appears a lot of relatives work here so prolly a true family operation. The bar is way cool.  We have never sat at a table inside or out but they are there. So if there are any down thumbs they are these: The ice tea is dispensed from the soda gun. So a concentrate mixed with water on the fly. Not a fan. Next thing up until now the wine was Line 39. Totally lacking. But today I noticed a Bogle Cabernet Sav on the counter so not steller but way much better. And of course the standard Mexican music. I can handle some but not when I'm killing an afternoon at the bar. Which brings up one of the really fine points. And they are....... Later in the day Tito bartends and switches the music to Euro pop. Think Purple Disco  Machine. After spending the last half year abroad, I appreciate the Eastern European/European  music a lot. So also Tito knows his tequila and mezcal. If you aren't sure and want to try stuff wait till he is in the house. Plus he never let's your drink go dry. read more

See all

We go back time and time again for their vegetarian burrito. It's the tastiest burrito in the Bay Area and we've tried them all. I don't know about their other options but they do have a nice vegetarian/vegan section. The ambience is not my favorite, but the food makes it worthwhile read more

East bay burrito #39 Initial taste 5/7 Meat 5/7 Beans 5/7 Rice 4/7 Cheese 6/7 Onions and cilantro 4/7 Tortilla 4/7 Overall 5/7 It's been a long time since I've eared here and mostly because my previous experiences were never that good. Perhaps owners or cooks have changed since? Either way, it's much better than before. The beans went from a soupy, acidic tasting thing to a more flavorful and improved texture thing. This is not apart of the burrito review but as a side, the cucumber margarita was very drinkable, however the decor is still a little dated. read more

Best restaurant I've ran into thus far. I would definitely go back to have a drink and dinner. This is also a great place to take your family 10 outta 10 fashodoe read more

El Agavero - Steak Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

do not eat the complimentary chips and salsa. i watched the server take the used salsa bowl from a party that had just left, place it into a bowl of salsa from the kitchen and hand it to my party. it was gross and I will never go back. read more